I have a 1967 (A 22 7) 3959512 block, which is the casting number for 62-7 327s. Now, here is what I know (after more than 35yrs jacking with old Chevys). ALLLLLLLLLLLLL 67-earlier small blocks have small journals, with ONE EXCEPTION----------1967 SS350 Camaros had a large journal block. ALLLLLLL 67-earlier SBs have a crankcase vent hole in the rear next to the dist hole. Right? ALLLLLLLLLLLL 67-earlier SBs have the filter pad cast/machined for a filter canister. Right?
Well, here is what I have:
1967 3959512 block (Jan 22)
BIG journal block
Crankcase vent hole in rear
Filter pad cast/machined for SPIN-ON filter
UNFORTUNATELY----------the block has been surfaced, so the code is gone from the stamp pad.
It has been bored .040, which, of course, means someone has been in there before.
IT CAME WITH A BIG JOURNAL---------FORGED, YES, I SAID FORGED, BIG JOURNAL 327 crank. Did ANYTHING besides 68 L-79 327s and some trucks get a BIG journal 327 crank? I can't find a date on the crank.
So, engine guys who know more than me, what is this block? Was it from a 67 SS350???? Or something else? Its not that big of a deal, I'm just curious. I'm going to build a 383 out of it (or I guess 385 since its .040 over).

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Tom Parsons

Tom, I don't know what it is for sure but as you say, someone was there before.

I try to avoid the word "ALL" with old car stuff because thats when it always seems like I say something wrong http://www.camaros.net/forum/wink.gif

Enjoy the stroker!

-Mark.

I think you answered your own question when you said that somebody had been into the engine before b/c of the decked block surface and no VIN number!

Looks like sombody put a '68 medium journal 327 forged crank in a block that wasn't, (probably from the factory), the correct '67 350SS casting numbered block, that's all. Imho.

One other thing is, do the main bearing tangs look 100 percent stock b/c somebody might have did a main bearing diameter bore and hone job to fit the medium journal crank into the earlier casting number block. BUT this is really doubtful due to the cost! pdq67

To the best of my limited knowledge the large journal small blocks began in the 67 Camaro only 350. As of 68 I think all small blocks were fitted with large journal cranks. I know that a 69 BelAir with a 327 and a 69 Chevelle with a 307 both came with large journal 3.25 stroke cranks. I recently had a mix-up on cranks and a local machinist gave me the following numbers to ID 327/307 cranks: 4672 and 1130 for forged; 3911001 and 3941174 for cast. Both of mine have the last number. I don't know if these numbers apply to both large and small journal cranks. I guess the answer to your question is yes, all kinds of stuff came with large journal 327 cranks.

Glenn,
That's part of my whole point. The ONLY large journal SB in 67 was the SS350 Camaro-------------------AND, ONLY the Camaro got a 350 in 67. NO OTHER 67 Chev got a 350. Not until 68, and then not all 68 Chevys got a 350. As much as I know about Chevys, I am perfectly comfortable to go out on a limb and say that ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL 67 SBs, with the lone exception of the 67 Camaro 350 engine, had small journals.
Now, even though the 67 block that I have has been previously machined, IT STILL IS A 67 SB WITH BIG JOURNALS! But, its casting number is for a 327. And I have forgotten the casting number for a 67 350. Anyone know it?

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Tom Parsons

Tom,

67 350 Camaros used block #3892657 (or #3903352.)

-Mark.

[This message has been edited by stingr69 (edited 04-06-2002).]

Hi guys,
I'm running a 67 327 small journal motor, casting number is 3903352. This casting number was also used on Chevy II so it has the dual locations for clutch z bar ball stud and dual starter mounting patterns. I'm running a forged crank and TRW L2211AF 12.15:1s. DZ you are right engine should've had a cannister filter and small journals, it could have been machined after delivery for larger journals, but that doesn't explain how it left the factory with spin on filter. I've added the adapter kit to mine to use a spin on filter.
Interesting engine you've got,
Dave

DZ, it's been a long time since I messed around with cars and I've probably forgotten most of what little I knew. A couple of months ago I decided to commit myself to getting my car on the road this summer, and about a month ago I found this site and others like it. The computer can be a good resource for finding out about stuff like this. I went to www.mortec.com (http://www.mortec.com) (a good casting number reference) to have a look and found the following info regarding block numbers: 3959512 (your block) 62-67 327 (as you said), but MorTec also says "Was also used for some replacement blocks". They give 3896257 for the 67 350 Camaro. I got curious and looked up my 327 block number and found that 3956618 was used for 69 4-bolt 302 Z-28, 68-69 2-bolt 327, and 69 2 or 4-bolt 350 engines. Seems like the bore and journal size are the common denominators. Casting 3970010 was used in a similar way; 69 302, 68-69 327, 69-80 350. Hope this helps. One thing I learned a long time ago...you don't know what you have until you look at it, and even then you can't always be sure.

[This message has been edited by Glenn1018 (edited 04-07-2002).]

i thought the 67 350 was an oddball in that it had a small journal? i read that about 10 years ago, and can't remember where.
as for the 327 block, a friend had a 327 that had a oil filter pad machined for a spin on oil filter, no breather hole in the crank case, and was a 350 journal size. can't remember what the Chilton's said it came from, but it was a 327 block. maybe it was a truck or something like that, but we all thought it was really strange. in stock form, that thing was a blast, and would rev to the moon. a con rod bolt let loose, and destroyed the crank and a few rods, but the block was un-hurt. a circle track guy ended up with it, and he made it into a 383 out of it.

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1971 Nova(looks like 69 camaro from underneath!)
355sb, vortec heads, HOT cam,T-10 tranny, 3.70 gears 16X8" IROC wheels. 12" Corvette brakes on the way.
see pics here http://community.webshots.com/user/novaderrik

I wonder if they may have run out of cores and grabbed a block that was handy. Threw it on the line presto we have a 68 block no one would know the difference. I know a lot stranger things have been done.

In 1967 all they made was small journal forged steel cranks. My block is a 1967 and it had the recess for a spin on filter too which was done at the factory a couple years later (I have all the documentation on my motor)So someone added that to yor block because only 350's in that year had the large journal crank in 1968 they came out with 4 bolt main 327's all before that were 2 bolt regardless of casting number. Also casting numbers really tell nothing about the block for example some 327 casting numbers are also 350 casting numbers or vice versa you would need the id pad code in order to determine exactly what year that block is sometimes you can get that from inside the timing cover portion of the block or near the top of the oil filter recess. and then look at http://www.mortec.com and check out the section on ids for blocks

[This message has been edited by grygst76 (edited 04-08-2002).]

If you really want the numbers, heat up the pad where the numbers were ground off with a torch, the number will show up for a monent or two, you can then photo the numbers. This is one of the things we do to check numbers on stolen blocks where the numbers have been removed. Just don't heat it up to fast.

The block is unquestionably a 1967. Several things confirm that:
1. Casting date-A 22 7 (Jan 22 1967).
2. Crankcase vent hole in the rear (last year was 67).
3. And, the casting number itself, 3959512, which is the casting number for a small journal 327.

This is a mid-year block (Jan). If it was a late production block, I could see it possibly being an early production 68 block machined from a late 67 casting.
With the exception of the casting number and the spin on filter pad, it has ALLLLLLLLLLL the features of being a 1967 SS350 block. Again, since it has been machined, the code/numbers are on gone on the stamp pad. Plus, when I acquired it, it had a large journal forged 327 crank in it. And last, the crank bores/caps DO NOT appear to be the result of being bored to large journal by a machine shop.

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Tom Parsons

DZ,

Just thank the SB Gods, put it together and run the stuffing out of it like a good SB deserves to be run!

When they self destruct, they all go to the SB "Valhala" or something like that anyway, don't they?? LOL. pdq67

And I fully intend to do that. Its just that it is a rather unusual block and I am quite curious to know what the heck it is. I'm thinking it will be an excellent block to build a 383 for an EARLY car which uses solid valve covers and needs the hole in the rear for crankcase ventilation.

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Tom Parsons

Hi Tom, You might want to hang out here more, some of these guys could use some of your trans expertise.

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Leo Paugh
MCC #017

If you have no fear, you're not going as fast as you could.

Leo,
I don't know, I only came over here because I thought I might get some info regarding the 67 block that I have. And that was because I knew that the features of the block parallel the features of a 67 ONLY 350 in a Camaro. But after cruising around here for a while, I think some of these guys are out of control!

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Tom Parsons

I talked to a buddy of mine who runs the service area of a gm dealership here in springfield and inquired about your engine. Now from what he told me there NEVER was a 327 made in 67 with large journal crank. He says the only way to know for sure is pull the crank and read the casting number and he said you will see a newer date on it. GM made a 350 with the larger journal. I told him about the oil filter as well and he said he could guarantee that when that was installed they also put the crank in as well during the rebuild. I never said it wasn't rare because 67 327's are getting rare I just wanted to let you know thru the numbers that it did not come like that thru the factory.

One thing which I may not have been clear about is the crank. When I acquired the block and crank, the 327 crank was already in it. I did not mean that the engine originally came with a 327 crank. There is no way to know what crank was originally in the block since it has already been rebuilt and the code/numbers on the stamp pad have been machined off.
I also agree, that to the best of my knowledge, THE ONLY BIG JOURNAL SB IN 67 WAS A 350. PERIOD. The 302-327-350 SBs are all the same block. That is, all 3 are 4in bore blocks. What makes the difference between the 3 is simply the crank. Even though this block has a 327 casting number, I just wonder if for some reason it got machined as, and became, a 350 engine!
Thus, I was wondering, if someone who is quite familiar with 67 SS350 Camaros, had ever seen a 67 350 built from a 512 casting. For example, I wonder if the engine assembly/machining line could have either been a little short of 657 or 352 castings and maybe ran a few 512 castings through and made 350s out of them? Or, could my 512 block have been an EXTREMELY limited run of 327s machined for a pre-production big journal 327 engine? As I said, I don't know for a fact that the 512 block which I have was originally built with the big journal 327 crank. It was just in it when I got it.

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Tom Parsons

Tom
is the 512 block a truck only block??

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ratchetmaster

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[This message has been edited by ratchetmaster (edited 04-10-2002).]

As far as I know, the 512 casting was a common 62-67 casting.
I wondered about the truck block, but I have never know of ANY 67 327 truck engines having a large journal crank.

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Tom Parsons